Rattle can black... everything is rattle can black!!!

Ok to start off, This is my first post in the forums here. Hello! I am from Missouri but now live in Iowa. I have always had projects, my first road bike was a '84 Honda Magna Vf700c, it sat in a barn for 12 years, I did a complete ground up rebuild of the bike. I had a buddy who wanted to buy it and I wanted to get something bigger for me and the 'ol lady so I sold it to him and got a Harley (anniversary deuce). When I was rebuilding the Magna I started seeing a lot of Cafe Racers online and ever since, I wanted to build one. So I found a steal on a '81 CB650C (yes I know the redheaded stepchild of the CB line) and now it is setting on the lift waiting for some love.

So my first question. The previous owner decided rattle can black was his style... so he hit it with every can he could find. He covered good chrome, the frame, stickers, engine and carbs. He even hit the carb boots which became dry rotted and split when I pulled them off... EVERYTHING, well except the tank. Now, I like the black out look but that is not the look I want to go for.

Is there a safe, efficient way to strip the engine, carbs and the chrome on the bike? I know aircraft aluminum stripper is good stuff, I just don't want to ruin the finish, or what is left of it.

Also if I were to use the aircraft aluminum stripper, it would be easier for me to pull the engine apart and do it piece by piece in my basement, would it hurt anything to do that? meaning, would it hurt the internals if anything got inside of the head or jugs

You could probably just take the side covers and cam covers off and polish / paint them. the contrast with the black cases would look pretty nice.


Get yourself a chrome 4-1 and it will look totally different.

hillsy said:

You could probably just take the side covers and cam covers off and polish / paint them. the contrast with the black cases would look pretty nice.


Get yourself a chrome 4-1 and it will look totally different.

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That exhaust is awful isn't it? It sounds just as awful as it looks haha.

So would you say the aircraft stripper is the best way to go?

If you're taking covers off and polishing them, then yes the aircraft stripper is the starting point to get rid of the black.

Carb cleaner will strip the rattle can shit off very easily.

What a fucking asshole..
Fucking stupid ass p.o's.
rattlecan usually comes off easy enough with regular paint stripper though.

Don't use paint stripper except as a desperate last resort!!! Most rattle can paint will come off VERY EASILY (at least compared to having to use strippers) and you won't have to destroy your previous finish which usually is much more durable than the spray can material. LOTS of solvents usually work, but eventually they will be strong enough to damage the previous finish, so start mild and work your way up to the more aggressive stuff. J-Rod's suggestion of carb cleaner is great, but might be unnecessarily aggressive over some previously painted surfaces. Among things to try - and not in any particular order - WD40, gasoline, mineral spirits, lacquer thinner, acetone, MEK. Pump sprayer and brushes unless the solvent melts the sprayer. LOTS of labor. Likely you will have to disassemble nearly everything to not damage parts that will not like strong solvents. Parts that you want to repaint can simply be sanded and repainted or bead blasted. Chrome parts should be easy unless they were abraded before paint - unlikely. Spray or brush on solvent, wait a bit and test. On some parts rattle can paint should almost rinse off. Paint strippers can do a lot of damage to a lot of different parts, and is way overkill for nearly all ordinary spray bomb paint.

Thanks for all of the replies, I plan on getting everything torn off the bike this week, then the real fun starts.

Currently working on a friends FZX750. Like yours it was covered in matt black.
Managed to get most of it off with petrol.

Yeah, I meant on the chrome/engine. If it is a painted surface, don't hit it with carb cleaner.